Leaving Jerusalem & Bethlehem behind with a lot of thoughts and questions seated in one of the busses of the Egged company. Heading for Mitspe Ramon, a small town in the midst of the Negev desert.
Founded in 1951 as a camp for the construction workers of highway 40 to Eilat it is not the most attractive place to visit. But there’s a secret. Makhtesh Ramon, or also known as the worlds greatest ‘Ramon Crater’.
The crater is breathtaking. And you may also take that literally. When you start your hike everyone advises you to bring enough water with you. You will also be reminded of this by multiple warning signs. More than logical of course at temperatures of around 40 ° C and extreme drought.
Descending to the heart of the crater is adventurous but not dangerous. The path is fairly well signposted and your direction is known anyway, down to the bottom.
Az men zitst in der haim, tsereist men nit kain shtivel
If your stay at home, you won’t wear out your shoes (Yiddish wisdom)
After walking around for a while you suddenly realize it’s so quiet down here. Remember the saying silence is golden? Here it becomes reality.
There’s a kind of emptiness, which actually makes you feel the silence. A bit like a dead room, the only difference is that your own voice doesn’t sound awkward.
A constant breeze brings you some comfort. But don’t get fooled, the sun is burning silently.
If you want to explore more of the crater? My advise: hire a guide. We were lucky to get introduced to Hen Yannay. I don’t think you can get a better one than Hen. An intelligent, educated and warm hearted man with great pedagogical skills. He took us around on 4 wheels in a relax way to show us some hidden spots. Proof that he knows the neighbourhood like the back of his hand.
The desert has actually 2 faces. A daytime one which make your skin turn red, and an evening face which colours the horizon red. If you stay long enough you will be spoiled by a magnificent sunset. And believe me, the combination of fading light and the vibrant silence really are a match made in heaven!
